YOUTUBE IS TESTING AN IPHONE-LIKE BOTTOM BAR ON ANDROID: HERE'S HOW IT WILL WORK

Google’s video streaming platform YouTube is reportedly testing a new iPhone-like bottom bar with some Android users. According to a report by 9to5Google, the bottom bar on YouTube will feature a more streamlined design and may include simplified icons for options like "Home" and "Subscriptions."

YouTube bottom bar for Android: How it works

As per the report, YouTube has retained the older text labels, however, the plus button has lost its circular white outline. Moreover, the plus button is no longer solid and is now translucent.

This translucency allows the background feed to show through, which works well with YouTube’s Home feed of large video thumbnails. The design is particularly noticeable when using three-button navigation, as it doubles the height of the bottom bar. However, this effect is less prominent with gesture navigation, the report added.

In the You tab, which has a dark background, the blurring is subtle and barely noticeable which will remind users of Ambient Mode in the video player. This change comes after YouTube redesigned its mini-player which is no longer docked to the bottom bar.

The report also notes that not many YouTube users on Android were able to find the change. This suggests that the company is testing this feature only with a limited number of users.

YouTube has a new sleep timer feature

Last week, YouTube introduced a new sleep timer feature for Premium users that automatically pauses videos after a certain period. The feature addresses the common issue of drained device batteries caused by unintentionally falling asleep while listening to audio content. This new tool will allow users to set a specific time for videos to pause to conserve battery life.

Access to this experimental feature, along with others, is currently limited to YouTube Premium subscribers. The sleep timer is expected to be available to a wider audience in the coming days.